President Zeman in hospital, Czechia in limbo

Czech politics is currently in a state of paralysis after President Milos Zeman was hospitalised on election weekend. The head of state officially oversees the handover of power after national elections in Czechia. However the 77-year-old fell ill after a meeting with Prime Minister Andrej Babis on Sunday. Instead of leading coalition talks and appointing a new prime minister, Zeman – a well-known bon viveur – is receiving treatment at Prague’s Central Military Hospital.

Babis claimed on Tuesday that Zeman had authorised him to talk to potential coalition partners at their post-election meeting . “The President confirmed to me that as the chairman of the strongest party, he would entrust me with forming a government,” he said. However Babis’s ANO party lost support in the weekend elections, and observers in Czechia expressed scepticism both regarding his ability to form a working coalition, and as to why he had waited two days to mention the presidential endorsement.